Solid fuel briquette and method of making the same



Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES SOLID FUEL BRIQUETTE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Frank Martin Pukli, El Paso, Tex.

No Drawing. Application May 8, 1933,

Serial No. 670,030

3 Claims.

This invention relates to fuel and particularly to that type wherein waste products are converted into usable fuels.

During the process of refining crude oil in oil refineries, there is produced a by-product which is diflicult to use called petroleum coke breeze or fines.

In developing the present invention, it has been the primary object to produce a new process in for utilizing this waste product and at the same time produce a composition of matter which when pressed into briquettes will provide a very good solid fuel for general purposes.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 8.; vision of an improved process of making a fuel which may be mixed dry, heated and then sprayed and pressed into suitable moulds.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved fuel comprising petroleum coke breeze or natural coal fines, crude resin, fuel oil and hydrated lime.

Other and further objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the complete specification and claims.

25 In carrying out my invention, I use as the primary ingredient of my improved briquette, the lines of petroleum coke which is a by-product of oil refineries or natural coal fines. To this I add crude resin, fuel oil to Baum) and hydrated lime in proportions and in a manner to be described.

The proportions of the ingredients are about as follows:-

Pounds Petroleum coke fines (or natural coal fines) 100 Crude rosin 4 to 6 Fuel oil (10 to 20 Baum) 5 to? Hydrated lime 1 to 2 Expressed in percentages, one formula which I have found to be satisfactory contains:-

Percent Petroleum coke (or natural coal fines) 88.5

Crude rosin (crushed) 4.42 Fuel oil 5.31 Hydrated lime 1.77

by gravity into a smaller hopper in which it is weighed. While in this smaller hopper, the crushed crude rosin, fuel oil and hydrated lime are added. A suitable drum mixer is located below the hopper containing the several ingredients which make up the fuel.

From this hopper, the ingredients are admitted to the drum of the mixer by gravity. The mixing drum is now put in operation and the mixing operation continued until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

After being thoroughly mixed, it is dumped into a mixture hopper. A spiral conveyor in the bottom of this hopper then conducts the mixture into the higher end of a slowly rotating baffleplated cylinder. Up to this point in the process, the operation is performed at normal out-of-door or room temperatures. The upper end of the baiile-plate-d cylinder is heated which raises the mixture to a temperature of about 300 F. As the mixture passes along the cylinder, the mixture is further mixed and at the same time progressively cools off to a temperature of about 'to F.

The bathe-plated cylinder operates continuously and discharges the cooled mixture at its lower end. As the mixture leaves the baffle-plated cylinder, a fine water spray is directly encountered. The action of the water on the not-entirely cooled mixture is to cool the outer surface portion of the mixture, thereby making a relatively hard shell on a softer interior. This condition of the mixture facilitates the briquette formation, since, while the outside of the mixture is relatively hard, the interior is still soft. This renders the mixture as a whole, very workable yet tending to prevent the briquettes from sticking to the rollers. The mixture is now fed between suitable rollers which are subjected to a constant water spray and the mixture is moulded into briquettes of a suitable size and shape. I have found that a briquette of the shape of a pillow and weighing about one third of a pound gives good results. The briquettes are used as is any fuel briquette or coal.

The construction of the apparatus herein outlined is not a part of the invention herein claimed and consequently is not necessary to illustrate or describe more in detail.

My improved fuel when made according to the process described does not shrink in weight or deteriorate or disintegrate from exposure or weather and stands up well when burned in a furnace.

The operation of the invention may be carried on continuously, the capacity being determined by the capacity of the elements of the apparatus used.

By utilizing this by product of oil refineries, or collieries a valuable fuel is obtained which can meet competition in many if not all of the localities of the country.

The composition of my improved fuel has been described with variations in the proportions of the ingredients and a process for producing it has been described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosures are merely illustrative and that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A solid fuel in the form of a briquette, consisting of petroleum coke fines 100 parts by weight, crushed rosin 4 to 6 parts by weight, fuel oil 5 to 7 parts by weight, and hydrated lime, 1 to2 parts by weight.

2. The process of making solid fuel briquettes which comprises the mixing of fines of petroleum coke with relatively small amounts of crushed rosin, fuel oil and. hydrated lime in a mixer, then passing the mixture into a heated space, then further mixing the mixture while being heated, then gradually and partially cooling the heated mixture, then spraying with water and thereby further cooling and hardening the surface of the mixture, and then molding the wet surfaced mixture to form briquettes therefrom.

3. The process of making a solid fuel briquette which comprises the dumping together of petroleum coke fines IOO'parts, by weight; crushed rosin 4 to 6 parts, by weight; fuel oil 5 to '7 parts,

i by weight; and hydrated lime 1 /2 to 2 parts,

by weight, then thoroughly mixing, then heating and progressively cooling the mixture, then passing the cooling mixture through a spray of water, and compressing the mixture into the de- V sired shape and size to form briquettes. 

